Decorative figure



July 16, 1940. M- BATE'S 2,208,445

DECORAT IVE FIGURE Filed Dec. 27, 1958 Jg-JI Patented July 16, 1940 Ultimo stares PTET OFFiCE son ManufactnringV Company,

Framingham,

Mass., a corporation'of Massachusetts Application December 27, LBS, Serial No. 247.793

3 Claims.

This invention relates to decorations and more particularly to table decorations comprising figures representing famous characters, animals and various inanimate objects.

The principal objects of the 1nvention are to provide a construction which is simple and econ nomical to manufacture, which is collapsible for shipment and storage, which can readily be set up for use merely by inilating a balloon, which is not easily disarranged after being set up, which can be collapsed again for storage lby deflating the balloon, which is substantial and durable in use and which is generally superior to decora- F tions of the character'to which the invention relates.

Other objects will be evident from the following description and the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a typical ligure 20 set up for use;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the preferred material for making the collapsible portion of the figure.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises two sheets of crepe paper B and C` of different width, the sheets being gathered together in "o overlapping relationship and stitched together along the line l. The opposite edge of the wider sheet B is also gathered together and stitched along the line 2. The lines of creplng extend I transversely of the stitching) that is vertically 5 in Figs. l, 2 and 4) and the two sheets are printed with suitable designs, the printed sides of the two sheets facing in opposite directions so that, when the narrower sheet C is folded over the wider sheet, the two sheets face in the same direction. After the two sheets are stitched together as aforesaid the opposite ends of the lines of stitching are brought together to form a hollow ligure having constricted ends, and the ends are secured in this constricted condition by suit- 45 able means. As shown in Fig. 2 the upper end of the gure is held in constricted condition by a piece of wire 3 wound around the overlapping portions of the two sheets with its ends twisted together as indicated at 4. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the constricted lower end of the figure is secured by means of a cardboard ring 5 secured to the edge of the sheet B, at or adjacent to the line of stitching Z, by means of staples 6. The connection between the ring 5 and the sheet B may be made somewhat more secure by having the staples straddle the line of stitching 2 and/or by cementi'ng the gathered portion of the sheet B to the lower side of the ring 5. Over the lower end of the gure is mounted a base or foot portion l which may comprise a piece of cardboard shaped in the outline of two feet, the base 'l extending somewhat beyond thel bottom of the iigure so as to provide a stable support against tipping. As shown bythe heavyline in Fig. 2 the base 'i is preferably secured to the lower end of the gure by cement. Disposed within the hollow ligure formed by the gathered sheet B is a balloon il having an integral inating tube 9. By merely overlapping the ends of the sheet E without securing them together, as indicated at i in Fig. 3, the balloon may be inserted into the hollow figure after the gure is completely assembled. While the'tube 9 may be extended through the opening l@ for inflating the balloon, it is preferably extended through an opening in the base l, and the base l is also preferably provided with a slit Il into which the end of the tube may be tightly wedged to prevent the escape of air after the balloon has been iniiated.

In making the representation of a man or animal the head is preferably formed of a piece of cardboard as shown at IZ in Figs. l and 2, the head having a depending neck portion I4 which may be inserted into the constricted opening at the upper end of the figure for the` purpose of holding the head in upright position. The head I2 may be surmounted by a cap formed of paper cemented over the head as indicated at I3 in Figs. 1 and 2.

By facing the printed sides of the two sheets of paper B and C in opposite directions when they are stitched together the narrower sheet C faces in the same direction as the other sheet when it is folded ydown over the other sheet in the form of a collar as shown in Figs. l and 2. By extending the lines of creping from one constricted end of the figure to' the other the figure can conform morev smoothly and attractively to the outline of the balloon when the latter is inated and the figure has less tendency to split when the balloon is over-inated. Furthermore the figure will then retain its shape if the air should leak out of the balloon. If desired the neck portion I4 of the head may be secured in the constricted opening at the top of the figure as for example by inserting a staple through the neck and thence through the overlapping portions of the two sheets C and B before the opposite ends of the sheets are brought together and before the Wire 3 is applied,

posite edges, the opposite ends of said gathered' edges being brought together to form a hollow ligure with constricted top and bottom portions and expansible middle portion, a head portion having a depending neck extending into said constricted top portion, a reinforcing ring fast to said constricted bottom portion, abase fast to said ring for standing the ligure on atable or the like, and a balloon inside said hollow figure for holding it in extended position.

2. A decoration comprising a sheet of crepedy paper gathered together transversely of the creping and fastened in gathered condition along opposite edges, the opposite ends of said gathered edges being brought together to form a hollow iigure with constricted top and bottom portions and expansible middle portion, a reinforcing ring fast to said constricted bottom portion, a base fast to said ring for standing the figure on a table or the like, and a balloon inside said hollow iigvure for holding it in extended position, the crepe lines of the paper extending up-and-down, whereby the hollow ligure may conform to the configuration of the balloon when the latter is inflated. l

3. A decoration comprising two printed sheets of creped paper of different widths overlapping each other along edges extending transversely of the creping with their printed sides facing in op posite directions, the edges being gathered and stitched together to form a neck portion, the opposite edge ofthe under portion being gathered and stitched to form a bottom portion, the opposite end of saidgathered edges being brought togetherto form a hollow gure with constricted ends and an expansible body, ahead portion having a depending neck extending into said constrictedend, a reinforcing ring fast to said constricted bottom end, a base fast to said ring for standing the figure on a table or the like, and a balloon inside the hollow gure for holding it in extended position, the crepe lines extending up-and-down so that the hollow gure can conform to the conguration of the balloon, and the printing onsaid narrow sheet facing inwardly so that it shows when the sheet is folded outwardly and downwardly as a collar.

METHYL BATES. f 

